Escapement-regulator.



F. EGAUBERT. ESGAPBMENT REGULATOR. APPLICATION FILEDYDEO. 11, 1908.

1,023,140, Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

I WITH-19858 ATTORNEYS DOLUMIIA PLANOGRAPII C0,, WASHING'IGN n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC ECAUBERT, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

ESGAPEMENT-REGULATOR.

Application filed. December 11, 1908.

Hitherto various constructions have been proposed for the purpose ofcompensating for the effect of expansion and contraction due to changesof temperature, but this invention relates to mechanism to compensatefor the influence of variations in air pressure by a compensating devicewhich will take these variations into account. That variations in airpressure or density will affect the running of a time piece, is a factwhich I have proved by actual test, by running one of the bestchronometers now on the market in a vacuum, the result being that suchchronometer gained about 12 sec onds in 9.4 hours when running in avacuum, as compared with the running atordinary pressure, conditions oftemperature being the same.

In the accompanying drawing I have illustrated several forms of myinvention for accomplishing this air density compensation.

Figure 1 is a view of one form of such balance wheel; Fig. 2 is a viewof the compensating member shown separately before it is incorporated inthe balance wheel; Fig. 3 is a view of a pendulum to which my inventionhas been applied.

In Fig. 1 I have shown my air density compensator in connection with abalance wheel of the usual construction comprising the spokes Aextending outwardly from the central perforation B. From the end of thespokes A extend circumferentially tempera ture compensating strips C, D,made of different metals. These strips 0, D are very delicate andflexible being adapted to respond to every change in temperature. Theyare consequently sufficiently resilient to be readily affected at thedeflecting surfaces of my compensator in proportion to the atmosphericdensities. To this well known Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 16, 1912.

Serial No. 466,961..

resilient or yielding wheel, I apply my air density compensator shown inFig. 2 in the following manner. The spaced lugs E are arranged toembrace the compensating strips, 0, D, and to be clamped thereon bymeans of the screw F. The air density compensator should be so locatedupon this balance wheel as not to interfere with the activity of thewheel as a temperature compensator. The air density compensator G has apeculiar formation shown in the drawing, the effect and action of whichwill be explained later. In Fig. 3, I have shown my invention as appliedto a pendulum composed of the usual oscillating rod H, which carries theweight I, the lower surface of which is curved as shown in the drawing.The two springs J are each attached to the weight I at their inner endsby means of the screw K. The free end of the spring perforated at L islimited in its outer movement by the adjustable screw K which passesloosely through the opening L.

The new feature of my invention resides in the construction of thecompensators G in the one case, and J in the other. In the case of thecompensators Gr, they are generally made of a metal which will retainits shape without distortion or corrosion under the conditions which arecommonly obtained in the use of time pieces. They may be attached to anyform of balance wheel in any suitable manner. The compensator G issubstantially flat, having two plane surfaces such as 1, which areparallel to the plane in which the wheel moves and therefore are subjectonly to surface friction as the wheel moves. The inner surface 2 of.thecompensator G is preferably curved to correspond with its circle ofoscillation; consequently, as the wheel oscillates, this inner surfacewill be subject only to the surface friction. The outer surface 3 of thecompensator presents a curved surface to the air. This outer surfaceforms an angle with the cylindrical surface 2, and may for instance be aportion of a cylinder whose axis is parallel with that of the wheel buteccentric thereto. If the member Gr were of any regular form, forinstance a circular disk, the balance wheel would swing more slowly asthe air pressure or density increases owing to the greater resistanceopposed by the air having a higher density. The deflecting surfaces ofthe weight G and J respectively have outer ends at 5 and K respectivelyand inner ends at 6. By inner ends I mean those ends which are nearestto the axis of oscillation and by outer ends those which are farthestaway from it. It will be seen that in each form of my invention thereare two mating deflecting surfaces which diverge from their outer ends 5and K respectively to their inner ends 6 and terminate at such innerends.

ith my improved compensator, the inclined surface 3 clearly has atendency to deflect the resilient member D inward as the wheel swings,by reason of the resistance offered by the air through which theinclined surface tends to force its way. The inward shifting of thecompensator G will have a tendency to draw in the arm C, D and by thusbringing the weight of the wheel nearer the center B, will make thewheel swing more rapidly. By a proper choice of dimensions and by aproper shape of the surface 3 I can so regulate the inward deflectingforce above described as to com pensate it to any desired degree for theslowing effect due to any increase in barometric pressure. I can, ifdesired overcorrect for the effect of variations in air pressure. Ofcourse, it will be understood that when the air pressure decreases, theresistance of the movement of the wheel is diminished and there istherefore a tendency to swing more rapidly which however, iscounteracted by the fact that the inward deflection due to the inclinedsurface 3 meeting the air pressure is less, so that a compensation isagain effected.

It is apparent that the principle on which the operation of this devicedepends is that the outer end of the outer surface of the weight G or Jshall be located nearer the axis of oscillation than the central line ofthe imaginary cylindrical zone which is formed by a movement of theweight G or J around said axis, and that said outer end shall be nearerthe axis of oscillation than the point of attachment; the inner surfaceshould also be so shaped that its resistance to the air shall be assmall as possible.

In other words, the line defining the curva ture of the inner surfaceshall be shorter than the line defining the outer surface.

In general I usually prefer to make the compensating weight G of such ashape that it will slightly over-compensate; they may be made exactlyalike by automatic machinery in the shape shown in Fig. 2. To thensecure exact compensation the points or cusps f may be beveled off asindicated in Fig. 1, so as to reduce the inward deflecting tendency inthe required manner.

In the ordinary balance wheel as now in use, any increase in thebarometric pressure would tend to make the wheel move slower because ofthe increased resistance offered by the increased density of the air tothe swinging movement. By the use of my inventions as the pressureincreases, the tendency of the wheel to slow up counteracted by thetendency of my compensator to accelerate its speed, so that one tendencybalances the other and makes the wheel run alike for the variations inpressure.

In some balance wheels the outward throw due to centrifugal force seemsto be greater when the wheel is moving in one direction than when thewheel is moving in the opposite direction. F or very exact compensationin such cases, I can give the air density compensator G a specialunsynnnetrical shape so that the inward deflecting action will begreater when the wheel swings in one direction than when it moves in theopposite direction. This is accomplishes as shown in Fig. 2 by formingthe curve 3 on a circle having a larger diameter than that of the curve3-1. Of course, in practice, the object being to get different increaseof obliquity the particular selection of curved surfaces depends onparticular conditions and they may be selected accordingly.

Referring now to the construction shown in Fig. 3, it will be apparentthat the resistance of the air offered to the oblique surface of thespring J will either tend to force it slightly away from the screw headK, or counteract the tendency of the spring to swing outward against thescrew head K due to the centrifugal motion and accelerates the movementof the pendulum in proportion to the increase in the air density. Bymoving a part of the weight toward the center of oscillation orpreventing a part of the weight from moving away from the center ofoscillation, the centrifugal action having a tendency to throw a part ofthe weight outward will be counteracted. This is the principle ofoperation of this device. Thus if the pendulum works correctly under acertain pressure and the pressure is increased the air density opposedto the bulk of the pendulum will tend to slow its movement but theactivity of the spring J as above described will compensate for thisslowing tendency so as to keep the pendulum running true even under theincreased pressure.

I claim:

1. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation and attached to said arm thecircumferentially extending memher or members comprising a part yieldingin radial directions and a rigid part united thereto, the inner andouter surfaces of said rigid part being so shaped that the outer or freeend of the outer surface shall be nearer the axis of oscillation thanthe central line of an imaginary cylindrical Zone defined by themovement of said rigid part about the axis of oscillation.

2. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation and attached to said arm thecircumferentially extending member or members comprising a part yieldingin radial directions and a rigid part united thereto, the inner andouter surfaces of said rigid part being so shaped that that part of theouter surface which is farthest away from the radial arm is nearer theaxis of oscillation than that part of the outer surface where it adjoinsthe yielding part, and that the line defining the curvature of the innersurface of the rigid part from its outer extremity to a radial linedrawn through the point of junction between the rigid and the yieldingpart is shorter than the corresponding line of the outer surface.

3. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation and attached to said arm, acircumferential member or members comprising a part yielding in radialdirections and a rigid part united thereto, the outer and inner surfacesof said rigid part consisting of curved planes of which the outer planeis drawn with the radius shorter than that employed in drawing the innersurface.

4. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation, a flexible arm attached theretoin a circumferential direction, a weight carried by said flexible armhaving an inner surface approximately concentric with the movement ofthe escapement, and a curved outer surface progressing from a point nearthe point of attachment between weight and flexible arm to a pointfarther away from the connection between the radial arm and flexiblearm, said last named point being nearer the axis of oscillation than thepoint of connection between weight and flexible arm.

5. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation, a flexible arm attached theretoin a circumferential direction, a weight carried by said flexible armhaving an inner surface shorter than the outer surface and a curvedouter surface progressing from a point near the point of attachmentbetween weight and flexible arm to points nearer the axis of oscillationthan the point of attachment between flexible arm and weight.

6. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendinradially from the axis of oscillation, a fl exible arm attached theretoin a circumferential direc-' tion, a weight carried by said flexible armhaving an inner surface shorter than the outer surface, and a curvedouter surface progressing with two different degrees of curvature from apoint near the point of attachment between weight and flexible arm topoints nearer the axis of oscillation than the point of attachmentbetween flexible arm and weight.

7. An escapement regulator comprising an oscillating arm extendingradially from the axis of oscillation, a flexible arm attached theretoin a circumferential direction, a weight carried by said flexible armhaving an inner surface shorter than the outer surface, and a curvedouter surface progressing from a point near the point of attachmentbetween weight and flexible arm to a point farther away from theconnection between the radial arm and flexible arm, said last namedpoint being nearer the axis of oscillation than the point of connectionbetween weight and flexible arm, the outer edge of said weight where theinner and outer surfaces are joined being beveled.

8. An escapement regulator provided with a yielding member carrying anapproximately lunar-shaped weight, the surved surfaces of which areapproximately parallel to the axis of oscillation of said regulator.

9. A weighted member for an escapement regulator being approximatelylunarshaped, having two parallel plane surfaces perpendicular to theaxis of oscillation and a curved surface facing the axis of oscillation.

In witness whereof I hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

FREDERIC EGAUBERT.

Witnesses JOHN A. KEHLENBEQK, J or-m LorxA.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

